Calibrachoa plant named ‘Westcasto’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘Wescasto’, characterized by its mounding and outwardly spreading to trailing growth habit; vigorous growth habit; relatively small leaves; numerous star-shaped dark orange and yellow-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Wescasto’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCalibrachoa, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Wescasto’.

The new Calibrachoa is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Südlohn, Germany. The objective of the breedingprogram is to create new Calibrachoa cultivars with uniform plant habitand numerous attractive flowers.

The new Calibrachoa originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in 2004 in Südlohn, Germany of a proprietary seedling selectionof Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 04P618, not patented, asthe female, or seed, parent with a proprietary seedling selection ofCalibrachoa sp. identified as code number 04P925, not patented, as themale, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa was discovered and selectedby the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Südlohn, Germanyin 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa by vegetative cuttings in acontrolled environment in Südlohn, Germany since 2005 has shown that theunique features of this new Calibrachoa are stable and reproduced trueto type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Wescasto has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Wescasto’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Wescasto’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofCalibrachoa:

-   -   1. Mounding and outwardly spreading to trailing growth habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Medium-sized leaves.    -   4. Numerous star-shaped dark orange and yellow-colored flowers.    -   5. Good garden performance.

The new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ from plants of thefemale parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have longer lateral branches        than plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have larger leaves than plants        of the female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have larger flowers than plants        of the female parent selection.    -   4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the female parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection        have red and yellow-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the maleparent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ from plants ofthe male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are shorter than plants of the        male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have more flexible stems than        plants of the male parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have smaller flowers than        plants of the male parent selection.    -   4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the male parent selection        differ in flower shape as plants of the male parent have more        rounded flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the cultivarCal Corink, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,304. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of the new Calibrachoadiffered from plants of the cultivar Cal Corink in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had more flexible lateral        branches than plants of the cultivar Cal Corink.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had slightly smaller leaves        than plants of the cultivar Cal Corink.    -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had larger sepals than plants        of the cultivar Cal Corink.    -   4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the cultivar Cal Corink        differed in flower color as plants of the cultivar Cal Corink        had coral pink-colored flowers with red markings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Calibrachoa, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Calibrachoa. The photograph comprises a side perspective view ofa typical flowering plant of ‘Wescasto’ grown in a hanging basketcontainer.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in Südlohn, Germany, under commercialpractice during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse with daytemperatures ranging from 20° C. to 25° C., night temperatures rangingfrom 16° C. to 18° C. and light levels ranging from 3,000 lux to 50,000lux. Rooted young plants were grown for about 25 weeks when thephotograph and description were taken. In the following description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. cultivar Wescasto.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of            Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 04P618, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of            Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 04P925, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 to 14 days at            temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 16 to 18 days at            temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 21 to 24            days at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 24 to 26            days at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, fine; color, close to 155A.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense to dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Mounding and outwardly spreading to            trailing plant habit; plants roughly spherical in shape.            Freely branching habit with lateral branches potentially            developing at every node. Vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 16 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 50 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 50 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 2.5 mm to 3 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 1.6 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong; flexible.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading to            trailing.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—144A flushed with 187A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 3.6 cm.        -   Width.—About 9 mm.        -   Shape.—Narrowly elliptic.        -   Apex.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 146A. Developing            foliage, lower surface: 146B. Fully expanded foliage, upper            surface: 147A; venation, slightly lighter than 147A. Fully            expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B; venation, slightly            lighter than 147B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers            arranged singly arising from leaf axils. Freely flowering            habit with usually about eight flowers and flower buds per            lateral branch. Flowers not persistent. Flowers face mostly            outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Calibrachoa            initiate and develop flowers about 13 to 14 weeks after            planting. Plants flower continuously from April to October            in Germany.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five to            seven days on the plant.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3 cm.        -   Flower length (height).—About 3.2 cm.        -   Flower throat diameter.—About 7.3 mm.        -   Flower tube diameter, base.—About 2.3 mm.        -   Flower tube length.—About 1.7 cm.        -   Flower bud.—Shape: Oblong. Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter:            About 4.2 mm. Color: 151C, venation, 166A; towards the apex,            162C.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and            opening into a flared trumpet; flowers star-shaped. Petal            length from throat: About 1.4 cm. Petal lobe width: About            1.5 cm. Petal shape: Roughly obovate. Petal apex: Cuspidate.            Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Color: Petal, when            opening, upper surface: Center, 50A to 50B; towards the            margins, 50C; at the margins, 162C. Petal, when opening,            lower surface: N170C to N170D; at the margins, 162C. Petal,            fully opened, upper surface: Center, between 39A and 170A;            towards the margins, between 39B and 170B; at the margins,            162B; venation, 178A to 178B. With development, color            becoming closer to 60B to 60D at the center; at the margins,            162C. Petal, fully opened, lower surface: N170D; at the            margins, 162D; venation, 166A. With development, color            becoming closer to 182C; at the margins, 162C. Throat: 14A;            venation, 166A. Tube: 160A; venation, 166A.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five            sepals fused at the base per flower. Sepal length: About            1.6 cm. Sepal width: About 4 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate.            Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper surface:            146A. Color, lower surface: 146A to 146B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 0.9 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong; flexible. Texture: Densely            pubescent. Color: Between 144A and 146A; at the sepals,            flushed with close to 187A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: About            five per flower. Filament length: About 9.6 mm. Filament            color: 144D. Anther shape: Reniform, two-parted. Anther            length: About 1 mm. Anther diameter: About 1.1 mm. Anther            color: 9C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 9A.            Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About            1.1 cm. Style length: About 8 mm. Style color: 144C to 144D.            Stigma shape: Ovate. Stigma color: 144A, becoming closer to            146B with development. Ovary color: 144C flushed with close            to 187A. Seeds: Length: About 1.2 mm. Diameter: About            0.9 mm. Texture: Smooth. Color: 200B.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed    to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 30° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Calibrachoa.

1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘Wescasto’ as illustratedand described.